


Like a knife in the heart

by Sadness_pudding



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Abuse, Dark Shiro (Voltron), Depression, Dirty Talk, F/F, Gen, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Implied/Referenced Suicide, Keith (Voltron) is Bad at Feelings, Keith (Voltron) is a Good Boyfriend, Keith (Voltron) is a Mess, Keith is so good and innocent that he doesn't understand what's going on with him, M/M, Other, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Possessive Lance (Voltron), Possessive Shiro (Voltron), Protective Shiro (Voltron), Suicide Attempt
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-27
Updated: 2020-05-27
Packaged: 2021-03-02 18:28:33
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,211
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24411334
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sadness_pudding/pseuds/Sadness_pudding
Summary: Keith's life was never easy.But then he found Shiro. Shiro took him under the wings and promised to protect him forever.Keith didn't notice all the darkness in Shiro's eyes. He's just a naive and passionate boy.Later he doesn't notice the same look on Lance.Keith sometimes asks himself: Why is love so violent with him? Sometimes Keith misses his angel. Would she be proud of him now?••read the warnings please!
Relationships: Keith/Lance (Voltron), Keith/Shiro (Voltron)
Comments: 3
Kudos: 23





	Like a knife in the heart

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just a little bit of Keith's life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have to say that I'm still without a computer, but I was so anxious to post it, I couldn't help it. 
> 
> All chapters will start with a quote.
> 
> I mean I changed a few things since that initial summary, so you can take a look at it and see the changes, and other tags that I'm going to add soon.  
> I also want to say, that the first chapters are not going to be fixed, because whoever would review for me, for those times will not be able and I don't know who else to ask.
> 
> I also want to say that the first two chapters are long and just a little of Keith's life as a child, everything will be superficial, but in the course of the story we will return to more details about it. 
> 
> I'll add some warnings about this chapter here:  
> Child abuse, mental abuse, attempted suicide, mention of blood, depression and anxiety.
> 
> I believe that is it. Have a good reading!

He had decided a long time ago, he had to ask for his letter of resignation or at least transfer to something less dangerous.

Of course, being a fireman was great and his passion, but now he had a new passion, and he would give his life for her.

It was not long since Krolia had left them to stand on his own and since then Tex promised to take care of the boy at any cost. Tex himself was still upset by Krolia's sudden choice. Of course, they fought sometimes,. She always complained about the fear of having to take care of the boy alone in case anything happened to him. And that generated fights, but in the end things settled down. At least, that's what he thought. One day, he came home after a bad day, and Keith was sitting on the couch sad. When Tex asked him what had happened, he said that Mom had left without saying what time she would be back.

Tex found it strange, but when he saw the room messy and noticed that her things were gone, he realized what had happened. She just left. Shee at least left a letter, saying she had her reasons and that was it.

When the days passed and Tex was still trying to sue, Keith had noticed it too. HIs mother should have come back. e wondered if it was his fault. After all, she once said it was. When Keith asked his father if he was the reason she left and he denied it with all his might. Keith wanted to believe him.

But in the end he did not succeed. He just used it as an ointment. Keith knew that if Mom left, he would have Daddy forever. He would never leave you. So he tried his best to hide his anger and sadness and used them to get even closer to Tex. 

Tex couldn't just quit his job. After 2 years passed it was a little late to make a decision and Tex started to see the consequences of that.

It was official, this was his last week. Then he would dedicate himself entirely to his son. He knew that Keith was not doing well with his mother's abandonment and he as his father needed to do something about it. He needs to make sure he is present in his son's life.

The fire season had started some time ago and Tex's Hotshot job had taken up a lot of his time. But this was his last season.

What could go wrong?

It wasn't even 6 am when they called about a small fire in Arizona. Tex was called, and more than quickly he took the equipment from home to go to his service.

Keith was lying in his room embracing his stuffed hippo, sleeping peacefully, when he heard the movement around the house and got up. The 8-year-old boy had gotten used to this happening during his father’s many years of firefighting..

"Keith, what are the rules?" Tex asked wearing his suit.

"Get ready for school, wait for the bus at the apartment door with the others, then come home with them." Keith said. "If you're not home, I can always wait alone if Allura is already gone."

"Why?" Tex puts on his boots.

"Because it's okay to be alone!" Keith said with a smile, despite the pain, while Tex ruffles Son's head.

"That's right! Maybe when you arrive, I will be home." Tex goes to the door. "Goodbye, Keith."

"Goodbye Daddy, I love you!" The boy said and ran to hug his father.

"Love you too." The Tex said, returning the hug and leaving quickly.

What started with a small forest fire soon turned out to be a big fire. No one outside expected it. But when you have a job like this you always have a doubt or little fear around you. The climate, wind, temperature, everything can contribute to a great disaster.

When classes were suspended, Allura picked Keith up at school, and they soon went home.

Keith was confident that everything would be okay. But when Allura turned on the TV, and the news appeared, he was scared.

"But daddy is the best." He tried to reassure himself. But still, he couldn't take his eyes off the television.

Things got worse when the phone rang. Allura looked at him a little apprehensively. A minute later, she asked Keith to get ready.

Keith did as she asked. He took a quick shower and put on the clothes she had left on the bed.

When Keith finished, Allura appeared and combed Keith's messy hair. She knew he didn't like it. That reminded him of his mother a lot, but Keith didn't want to bring it up, especially while Allura looked so nervous.

After that, he barely had time to try to ask what was going on, when Allura put him in the car and took him to a shed.

There were many people there. Most crying, screaming and wanting answers. The noise and murmurs were so ugly. Keith didn't like them at all.

"Keith, stay here for a while, I'll ask what's going on and I'll be right back!" Allura handed Keith a chocolate bar and left him sitting in the pack, looking scared at the people who were screaming.

"CAN YOU TELL ME IF MY HUSBAND IS OR NOT ALIVE?" A woman shouted at a man, who just passed by, unable to say anything.

Just a survivor. Keith heard someone say and cry. Keith was getting scared.

Did Dad leave you too? Was he a bad son? Or was it the fault of the fire?

The shed's doors opening drew everyone's attention. A heavy silence hung for a moment in the air.

Standing there, dirty, bruised and a little terrified was Tex.

It was then that a whirlwind of voices, screams, crying and wailing started even worse than before.

Keith got up to run after his father. He wanted to hug him and feel protected from all the horrible noise. But as soon as he got up, Tex was already walking out through the doors and when Keith tried to run after him someone grabbed his arm.

"Your dad doesn't want to see you now, Keith, give him a minute." Allura sounded confident but gentle. But Keith didn't want that. He needed his father now. Then in a moment, he bit Allura's arm and ran.

He pushed through the big doors and pulled as much air as he could.

"FATHER! FATHER!" He felt tears blur the vision, and looked for his father.

He ran through the people until he saw his father sitting with his hands on his head.

"Daddy!" He said and started to cry really running up to him.

Tex looked up at his son with great difficulty. Keith saw the red eyes and dark circles, but he was already hugging his father, still crying.

"Shhh, boy, it's okay, I'm fine." Tex reassured the child, letting go of the words. But Tex's mind was not there. The words he rambled on were just words with no real meaning.

He was not at all well. And now he didn't know if he had the capacity to leave his son well.

But for now he just hugged the boy.

(Weeks later)

A week after the fire, Tex resigned and also fired Allura now that his contract was. The girl was just doing him a favor after all and a bright future awaited her.

Tex was trying to be as stable as possible, but it was a little difficult to find a new job. They managed with their savings for a while.

The new job was not earned Hotshot's, but at least he could provide for Keith. But each day some things were becoming unable to be ignored.

Keith was fine at least, he didn't want to talk about his mother and Tex just didn't mention it either. They spent a little more time together and Keith followed Tex around.

Tex still saw his partner's family and mostly received the look of disgust. He felt he should have died with the team. If they got in together, they should have gotten out together. All of them, no one was an exception, not even Tex.

The weight of it was building up, and then he received the news that Keith had been in yet another fight at school.

This should have stopped already. Was he a bad father? Was he unable to deal with his son?

When Tex arrived at school, he went straight to the board, where Keith was sitting with a red face. Tex gave him a warning look before speaking to the principal.

"Maybe he is missing his mother? It seems that some children were angry, he should (be?) there." The principal said and Tex just nodded.

Of course, he was homesick, even Tex was homesick and angry. She never even called to know about Keith or even left an address. But, she was still Keith's mother and he is just a child.

When everything was resolved, Tex got in the car with Keith who was still silent. Tex also needed time to get everything together and find a way to solve the problem.

"I'm sorry, Dad," Keith said suddenly. And Tex looked at him in the rearview mirror. "They said things about you and I was angry." Keith was looking down. "They talked about Mom and…" Keith cried.

"Okay, kid, let's get this over with in a little while." Tex tried to be strong, but he felt some tears flow.

The days passed and Tex took Keith to the psychologist, the appointment was a little expensive, but Tex did it for his son. 

But if Tex can't even deal with a child's problems, how could he deal with his own?.

As the days went by, it became clear that the beer bottles increased, as did headaches and some unwanted bills. Keith didn't know how to talk to his father about it. But everything was fine.

Tex still put him to sleep (almost always) and said he loved him. Tex was still taking him to school. Tex was still with him unlike his mother. Keith was enough to make his father stay with him, and that was relieving.

Until one night that is, Tex slept on the couch. Keith placed a pillow and blanket over his father, brushed his teeth and went to bed. He said a little prayer and hugged his stuffed hippo tightly, trying to fall asleep.

Keith didn't know exactly what time it was, but he felt like he hadn't slept much. He got up to go to the bathroom, andas he passed the living room he noticed his father was no longer there.

The door to his father’s room was open and Keith didn't see anyone there, so he walked to the bathroom.

Keith froze in place.

Nothing would ever take that vision out of his mind again.

In front of him on the floor was his father’s body surrounded by blood.

Keith panicked.

"DAD!" He screamed, but he was too afraid to approach. Then he ran. He knew he needed help.

He opened the front door as fast as he could and knocked on the apartment next door screaming.

"HELP!" He screamed and hit as hard as he could.

The lights in other apartment came on and a door opened.  
"MY FATHER! HELP!" He cried, and tried to run back to his apartment. When he entered, some of the neighbors did too.

"Holy God!" "Someone call an ambulance!" "Get the child out of here!"

Keith didn't understand anything after that. He felt the world was spinning, the tears and sobs were falling away from him, everything was muffled, the voices, the father's body lifeless, and then everything went black.

It was too fast. He doesn't remember much after that.

Keith woke up looking at the ceiling of his room. He took a deep breath and hugged the hippo, then gradually the ugly memories came back to his mind and for a moment he believed that everything had been a dream.

He got up almost running to his father's room. But it was empty. Then a voice came from behind him.

"Oh you woke up!" A man with a red mustache greeted him. Keith was silent looking at the man, who was he? "My name is Coran, don't worry, I'm here for your own good." He said and bent down. "Your name is Keith, right?"

"Where's my dad?" Keith asked, still apprehensive.

"Well, he's somewhere else now" The man was a little tense for a minute, but soon recovered. "Let's talk a little."

"I don't want to talk, I want my dad!" Keith said angrily. "Where is he, sir?"

Coran got up and looked around, then another woman appeared and they talked for a while.

"Do you live with your father alone?" The woman asked gently and Keith nodded. "And your mother, aunt?"

"Left." Keith said a little angry, and the woman nodded. "You look like a good boy, how are you feeling?"

"I want to see my father." Keith said and quickly passed her. Going in the opposite direction to the bathroom. He didn't want to go back there anytime soon. "DAD?" He called, but no one answered.

These people, the dream, had not been a dream after all.  
Keith thought quickly and ran to the bedroom, putting on his shoes and walking down the stairs.

"Keith, you must be hungry, sit here." The woman called. But Keith opened the door. He would look for his father.

"Hey, no, no! You can't leave now!" The woman ran to him. "Where do you think you're going?"

"Looking for my father, he was a fireman, when people get hurt, they go to the hospital, my father is there." Keith said as determinedly as he could, and the woman smiled at him, placing her hands on her small arms.

Keith was small, even for his idea.

"You are a very smart boy and I know you will understand that." The woman starts to say a few things and Keith just sits there listening.

Why was she telling him these lies?  
How could his father not return? Did he leave you too? Why? Why was this happening?

Keith felt weak from crying, he still wanted to look for his father.

Was this also his fault? Tex had been hurt, because in the end, Keith wasn't the son he wanted?

Keith thought about it, stuck in his own mind, while the woman continued talking.

Keith yelled at her and the man, called them liars, but still stood still. So he just let himself go.

Tex was gone, Tex promised he wouldn't leave him, he said he wouldn't leave. But did. So in the end Keith agreed to go with the people.

The kind woman helped him pack up his clothes and dress Keith. He didn't want to go near the bathroom yet. Keith felt that every time he blinked, his father's blood and body appeared in his mind. The only toy Keith picked up was the hippo. It was the best thing in Keith's life for some time.

(Two months later)

Keith's life at the orphanage was different than what he was used to. He had bad days and worse days. And, God, how he missed his father.

He tried to remember good things, but it always ends up in his father's body on the bathroom floor.

Sometimes at night Keith could hear his father crying, but he always thought it was a dream or he was just afraid. 

The truth is that since he left the house that day, he felt like a ghost, just seeing his body wandering from side to side, still and angry with everyone.

He was angry with his mother, father, other children, the woman and the man with the orange mustache, and especially himself. It got to the point that he just didn't know how to deal with it anymore.

And then a man and a woman appeared. Sendak and Haggar. They wanted to adopt a child and they were kind.

Something about them screamed danger to Keith, but there was nothing he could do since the paperwork was done.

As much as Keith didn't like the idea, part of his mind was happy that someone wanted him in a family. Of course, it would never be the same, but just the opportunity to have a family again, it was charming and a little scary.

Keith knew he was not an easy-going Kid. He got into fights, did not speak, and avoided people. He was also always angry, ready to explode. It was Coran's request that he make an effort once, and Keith ended up giving in. He would try anything for the couple who took him out of the orphanage.

Now, looking at the ceiling of the room, he would have liked to have stayed at the orphanage.

Everything, absolutely everything in his body ached, and he could feel Sendak everywhere. It was so disgusting, the noise, the sensation, the pain, Keith felt so disgusting, he just didn't want anything else. His mind couldn't go elsewhere, he was stuck in it.

He was trying hard to be a good boy, so why were they doing this?

Keith sobbed only for Sendak's big hand to slap him. Keith felt his lungs were on fire, he could barely breathe, and damn it, he wanted someone to save him.

He wanted to return to his father's arms. He wanted to return to the cold nights at the orphanage. He wanted his mother or anyone else. The only thing he didn't want was to be in this house.

Keith thought the first time would be the worst, but he was wrong. It only got worse between the slaps, punches, and Sendak inside him, each day seemed like a nightmare. But at some points Keith's mind would leave him, and he drifted away, focusing on the ceiling while being violated. Each time he cried and felt that he would die without air. Many times he begged to die. But nothing happened. Only endless pain.

Keith was crying too. Sometimes during the abuse and sometimes when he was alone. Haggar never did anything, always drinking or smoking, but never helping.

Keith would like to say that his terror was only night, but no. Of course, Sendak's abuse at night was worse than cigarettes on his skin, or Haggar's spanking. But the days were still horrible.

They told Keith that he would never be anything, that he was disgusting and most of all, no one, absolutely no one, would never love him.

Who would love a broken child like him?

After a while of hearing that you are trash, you believe that no one will ever love you again.

Keith hated going home, so he always took advantage of his anger and pain to do something that would leave him at school longer. Be it detention, writing, doing assignments, reading, or whatever. Of course, he was always exhausted and at times when he felt too disgusting and aching, he just slept. Some of his grades dropped a lot. But when that happened, Sendak turned him purple for weeks, so despite everything, he managed to keep his grades high.

Sometimes Keith would sit in the room, turning the lamp on and off, counting the seconds, listening to Sendak's footsteps down the hall. And then the door would open and he would hear the belt being removed, and then finally the thick voice asking Keith to remove his clothes. Keith sometimes pretended to sleep, but that never stopped Sendak from doing what he wanted.

Keith counted the time he spent, every second and minute of his torture. He felt like screaming, but his voice always died in his throat. So he just let the tears fall, while his nightmare continued.

Until one day, Sendak had a fight with Haggar. It was an ugly fight, it was night, and Keith was still trying to finish school.

He only has a few flashes of memories. Sendak entered the room and pulled him by the hair. He threw him on the floor and kicked him.

Keith was in a bun by the wave of pain that invaded him, so he tried to get up, just to get other kicks. He ran out of air and started to cry.

"SWALLOW THE DRY CRY!" He screamed and grabbed Keith's hair to lift and choke him. Keith took a few more slaps and then went out.

When he woke up, he felt horrible pain, again everything hurt and it looked like it wasn't going to end anytime soon. He felt a tug to put him on his feet.

"Listen to me, boy, I'm taking you to the hospital and if you ask anything, you'll say you fell off the stairs!" Sendak says sternly holding Keith's hair tight. Keith was sure he lost some of them in the grip. "If you say something other than that, if you even think about saying what happens here" Sendak brought his bearded face close to Keith's ear, who closed his eyes tightly with fear running through his veins. "It will beg for mercy before it kills you."

He threw Keith back down and he felt a new wave of pain ceaselessly run through his entire body. His arm was crooked, and it was only when Keith looked that he felt even more pain. He didn't have the strength to get up. He had no strength for anything else. It should have been out. Keith should have died a long time ago ...

He was running out of breath while he was crying. He was so tired, he looked up, Sendak was no longer there, only Haggar looked at him with total contempt.

"Stop crying, boy" she bends down and picks him up with some ease.

Keith was small. He was a child, but even for his age, he was small. Before he had a healthy life, but still. Now maybe the bad diet and all the shit that surrounded him pressed him to stay small.

"This is all your fault, you are not a good boy, maybe that's why your father left you," Haggar says. "All because of not being a good boy." Haggar says with a reproachful tone. "But, you will learn to be a good boy soon, you disgusting little thing." Haggar smiled. "You look heavier than the last time I got you." She thinks for a while as she goes downstairs with Keith still on her lap. "Maybe I was giving you a lot of food ... You won't look good and you won't be a good boy if you continue like this." Keith just listens as sobs come out of his mouth. "Take it easy, kid, I'll take care of it when you get back" Keith was in such pain that he wasn't sure if he understood what she had said.

Keith doesn't even remember being put in the car.

Maybe that's why he wakes up so scared. Everything was white and had a constant "beep" noise, he was so scared. What had really happened? He looked at the arm with a cast. And he tried to get out under the thin cover when a woman appeared.

"Hey, hey, calm down, it's okay" The blonde said, smiling gently. "My name is Romelle, and I'm your nurse," she says and Keith just looks at her, breathing calmly. "Do you need something, dear?"

Yes, he did. He needed to run, he needed to scream, his throat was dry. He needed help. But I was afraid of what would happen if I asked.

Keith leaned back on the bed, slowly, his breathing becoming so calm, he could sleep again.

Things were coming to your mind. First, the images of Tex's body, then he staying in the orphanage, then Sendak, the screams, the cigarettes in the belly, the slaps, punches, kicks, the sleepless nights, the seconds of pain, the noises, the silent cries , Haggar's words ... Keith wanted to feel something about.

Of course, he already felt sadness, and then anger. It all happened too fast.

But now in that hospital bed, Looking up at the ceiling, while the nurse looked at him, all he felt was the emptiness of his heart.

And that was scary and it hurt as much as any spanking.

"Honey, can you tell me what happened to you?" Romelle asked Looking again gently.

Keith watched his beautiful woman's face. So kind. Keith felt so much like saying everything that plagued him.

But Sendak's voice was still there: "... tell them you fell off the stairs!"

"I fell down the stairs" he himself was surprised at how firm his voice came out.

"Honey, can you tell me the truth" Romelle says after a second.

"I fell off the stairs" Keith looks at the ceiling. "It was just that, I fell."

Romelle watched him for a while longer.

"I know it doesn't look very good, but your parents couldn't stay, so you still have to stay here for a while." She says.

"They're not my parents," Keith says quickly, and closes his heavy eyes.

Romelle seems to want to say something, but if she did, Keith didn't hear it, just fell into yet another wave of exhaustion, which took him to a dreamless place.

Keith woke up again, still alone, this time the television was on.

It didn't take long for Romelle to appear, smiling.

"Look who woke up!" She says excitedly. "We are going to serve dinner now! Here we have delicious soup for you." Keith was not very excited to eat, but his stomach thought differently when he made a loud noise. "It looks like I arrived at the right time!" She says playfully and laughing.

After she served Keith's food and checked out some things he didn't understand, she left him alone to eat.

Keith ate a few spoonfuls of watery food, when another woman entered the room.

And she didn't look like a nurse.

He wore black pants, and a light pink sweater. She was tall and had two braided hairs on top of her head.

Keith found it very beautiful.

"Hello! Can I hide here for a while?" She asked a little embarrassed.

Keith just looked at her, stopping eating the soup, still amazed by the sudden presence.

"I think so…" Keith said and the woman sat in the armchair and was silent for a few moments.

"My name is Riley! I heard about you, Romelle said you were adorable!" She said smiling. "And hey, are you really ... is your name?"

"My name is Keith." She He answered.

"If you're going to be here for a few days .. I have to tell you about having fun and getting away for a while!" She said getting up.

The girl kept talking, and complaining about the nurses there. Keith went back to eating, finding the woman funny, as she walked and imitated voices. Moving my arms and making funny movements.

When he finally stopped, Keith had already finished his plate and just looked at it, Keith didn't understand why he was feeling so good.

He hadn't laughed in a while. Even though it had hurt little.

"I've already said too much about myself and this place! Even I got sleepy." She sat on Keith's bed. "Your turn, I shared memories and tricks. Now it's your turn!"

"My turn?" Keith asked apprehensively. He had nothing to say.

"Sure! Well, to make it easier, let's go for small parts." She looked at him and thought for a while. "How old are you?"

"Almost 9 years…" Keith said, trying to smile a little.

"Hmm, interesting. And what do you like to do?" She asked a few questions and Keith answered them easily, while some jokes and jokes took place between them.

"Hey Riley!" A nurse appeared. "We've been looking for you for a while, we thought you were gone."

"Oh no, I was just making a new friend!" Riley took Keith's unstressed hand and lifted it, smiling at him.

All Keith managed to do was smile back at her. While a good heat, it grew in the chest.

Keith had a friend. She was the first friend Keith had in a while.

"Okay, but your old friend wakes up, and he's dying to see whether or not you're going to win his case." She says.

"Oh of course I am" She stood up still holding Keith's hand. "If I ever need it, I'm also a lawyer!" She waved. "See you, little Keith."

"Up until!" He said, as the nurse pulled the girl into a half hug, laughing about something she said.

Keith stared at the door, then lay down on the bed.

Keith was silent listening, taking the noise out of the hospital, he was silent, just like him.

Why did it have to be this way?

Keith felt the heat go away and the cold emptiness curling around him. He took a long time, but finally fell asleep.

The next day, Haggar appeared with a frown there. The messy hair in a badly done bun. Red shoes, and the usual clothes.

She stayed there for a part of the morning, snorting. And he glared at Keith when he started eating breakfast. So Keith just stopped putting the food down.

When Haggar left, Keith finally managed to look at himself, he closed his eyes, and felt every part of his body that was hurt. Both external and internal.

He felt like crap. Really, he should give himself up to the pain, it didn't make sense to continue like this. He was so broken.

Sometimes Keith thought that all of this was just a big nightmare and that at some point he would wake up in his room, and he even went to his father who would hug him protecting him from everything.

But then he opened his eyes, and reality fell on him like a bucket of ice water.

"Good morning? Or would it be late?" Riley says entering his room.

Keith was surprised that she came back, but Smile still opened.

"Want a cupcake? I don't really like chocolate," she offers and sits down on the bed again. "You know, my friend? Well, then, he got into trouble, broke his pelvis, and now he's trying to sue another guy, seriously he gives me a lot of work!" Riley says. "Money is good, but it is tiring, so how about we kill time together?"

Keith was silent, why did she want to do this to him?

"I will accept that as a yes." Riley hands Keith the cupcake.

Haggar's words and his grimace were on his mind. But when he looked ahead and saw Riley's excited face, he just smiled putting the cupcake in his mouth.

After that, they tried to play cards, but Keith with his arm in a cast was a little difficult, so they just gave up.

Riley left for a few seconds and came back with a flash drive. Then putting it on the television in the bedroom. At least, Sendak paid well for Keith's room. Just thinking about him, Keith felt a shiver.

Riley put a drawing for them. And they watched a little together, but soon she had to run to her friend and then she told Keith that she was going to work.

He didn't understand why she bothered to tell him that.

He also didn't understand why she said she would be back.

It made Keith shiver. He was in no mood. And I didn't think she would come back later.

But she came back. And I brought you a gift.

A plush hippo. Purple.

Keith's eyes widened. It was not the same as he had until the orphanage. But it was similar.

"I didn't know what you liked, so I brought this for you!" She says with a smile. "And don't tell the nurses, but I have lots of candy for both of us!"

"I can't accept it." Keith said in a stunned sigh.

"If you don't like it, we can exchange it ... you tell me something you like and I’ll bring ..." she said after a moment.

"No, I love hippos, they are my favorite animals!" Keith said quickly. "But I don't think Sendak and Haggar will like it."

"Oh I see, what are they to you?" She asked a little sadly.

"My guardians," Keith said the word with a little difficulty.

"Say it's a gift from the hospital!" She says simplistically. "I'm going to check on my friend and see if he's already back to do something!"

"Okay." Keith replied, taking the toy and the bag of sweets.

In a few minutes she came back and they watched a movie again. When the movie ended, Keith ended up sleeping.

Riley took the candy and arranged it comfortably on the bed. Then he kissed the boy on the forehead and went to the door.

She has heard of Sendak. She heard the rumors about how often Keith was hurt, and she didn't like it at all.

There was no way Keith could have fallen off the stairs.

Riley dealt with many cases and saw many things in her life and she knew something was wrong. She just didn't know what exactly.

But she would find out what it was ... And whatever it was, she would make sure it didn't happen again.

•••

The next day, when Keith woke up, Sendak and Haggar were in the room with the doctor responsible for him.

"Good news, Keith," the doctor says. "I just talked to your parents and this afternoon you can come home."

"This is great, Keith!" Sendak says walking over to Keith's bed. "At least he has learned his lesson and he is not going up stairs anymore." The doctor just wrote a few things and called the two of them to finish some things.

When Keith was alone he wanted to scream. Throwing something on the floor or anything else to get the large mass that formed in the throat.

Then the door opened and the light came in close to the silhouette.

Keith vowed to see wings when Riley entered and closed the door quickly.

"Hey, how are you?" She asked and ran over to Keith who didn't even notice the silent tears falling from his eyes.

Keith just shook his head, while Riley ran up to him and hugged him. Keith never wanted to leave that hug again, it was so safe there. It was the first time that Keith had felt safe and loved for a long time.

"Shhh, alright, I promise it won't happen for much longer" she said and Keith froze, did she know?

"Sorry, it just hurts sometimes." Keith says with a sore throat.

"I know, I know, it will get better, I promise." She says. "He's been doing this to you for a long time, isn't he?"

Keith heard his heart crack in his chest. And then he sobbed loudly. They stayed there until Keith fell asleep.

Neither Haggar nor Sendak came back which was great.

Riley lay down with Keith on the stretcher, and stood there hugging him and mumbling a song. Keith relaxed and fell asleep.

When he fell asleep, Riley was still there. Watching and processing everything.

She looked at that man in the halls and knew right away.

He and not even that woman would touch Keith anymore.

She was new to the city. If she moved to work a short time ago, then she wouldn't mind arranging a scandal.

When she saw Keith crying, she knew that this child had to be protected.

Riley took care of the sisters most of her life, before moving to finally live her own life. She did not expect to have a child.

But if fate put Keith in his life, she would protect him.

It was a promise. And your promises are always kept.

Keith would not experience any further abuse. She would save him at any cost.

∆∆∆∆∆∆∆

Tex Kogane woke up from the small coma he suffered from the suicide attempt 5 months later. 

He didn't lose his life. His son lost something still important.

What was he thinking when he tried to kill himself? He did not know. But now everything was a wave of regret and guilt even greater than before.

They explained to Tex that he was not in a position to care for children like Keith and explained all the bureaucracy behind Tex's actions, plus all the testimonies of the neighbors.

It didn't mean that Tex didn't go after his son as soon as he could.

But it was as if he had disappeared.

This discouraged Tex and a part of him said it was for the best. Other people would take better care of Keith. After all, he was to blame for that.

But it was still his son.

Tex would heal, deal with everything and then go back to looking for Keith.

If things were better without Tex on her, he would be gone. But if not, he would fight for his son.

It was a promise.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading this far! Liked? Let us know what you think! And you can correct me if something bothered you! Accepted suggestions! 
> 
> Find me on Twitter, talk to everyone! Do not be shy!  
> (@sadness_pudding): https://twitter.com/sadness_pudding?s=09
> 
> I hope you liked it and that you have faith in me! 
> 
> Being boring as always: comments are welcome.


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